Entity Transfer

1. EntityTransfer Chapter 8 Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

2. What We’ll Do ... • Types of Entity Transfers • Model 8-1: Resource-Constrained Transfers • Models 8-2, 8-3: Transporters • Conveyors • Model 8-4: Non-accumulating • Model 8-5: Accumulating Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

3. Types of Entity Transfers So Far • Connect • Zero-delay • Route • Non-zero-delay — constant, r.v., expression • Stations, animated Routes • Fixed routes vs. entity-dependent Sequences • Connect and Route both assume: • No limit on number in transit at a time • Entities have their own feet Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

4. New Types of Entity Transfers • Resource-constrained transfers • Limit total number of entities in transit at a time • Entities still have their own feet • Telecommunications (number of packets),logistics (number of vehicles) • Material-handling devices • Transporters – fork lifts, trucks, carts, wheelchairs • Usually place limits on numbers, capabilities of transporters • Like a Resource, except moveable • Conveyors • Belts, hook lines, escalators • Usually limit space on conveyor, speed • Non-accumulating vs. accumulating Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

5. Problem 7.8 (HW5) • Original system • Assumed all transfer times = TRIA(8,10,12) … keep (for now) • Parts have their own feet … keep (for now) • No limit on number of parts in transit at a time … dump • Now – no more than 4 parts can be in motion at a given time • If other parts are ready to go, they must wait until there’s room to go • Model via existing constructs — think creatively • Model “space” on the “road” as a Resource • Limit the number of Units of this Resource • Entity must Seize unit of “space” resource before beginning trip, Release it at end of trip Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

6. Two Ways to Model Resource-Constrained Transfers • Both use a new Transfer Resource representing space on the transitways • Capacity set to 4 in Resource data module • Maybe the most obvious way (but won’t do) … • Before each Route module insert a Seize module to Seize one unit of Transfer (queue, priority details … see text) • After each Station module insert a Release module to free up one unit of Transfer Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

7. Two Ways to Model Resource-Constrained Transfers (cont’d.) • Different way (will do, to illustrate new modules, set up for transporters and conveyors) … • Replace Route modules with Leave modules (Advanced Transfer panel) • Transfer Out: Seize unit of Transfer resource before leaving station • Resource, Resource Set, particular member of a Resource Set • Can specify priorities • Also contains the Route operation • Get individual queues, with animation, for parts waiting to go • Replace Station modules with Enter modules (Advanced Transfer panel) • Defines the Station • Option of an unload Delay time (0 for this model) • Transfer In: Release Transfer resource • Effect – slight increase in cycle times in system Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

8. Arena Module Pictures Remove all Route modules and replace with Leave modules. Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

9. Arena Module Pictures cont. Remove all Station modules and replace with Enter modules. Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

10. Transporter Concepts • Carts, fork lifts, trucks, wheelchairs, people, … • When entity is ready to go somewhere, it needs to be “picked up” and moved • Use Transporters— “moveable” resources • Activities: Request, Transport, Free • Transporter Selection Rule: If > 1 transporter is available when Requesting • When freed and > 1 entity is waiting: Priorities, closest one • Two types of Transporters • Free-Path (we’ll do) • Travel time depends only on velocity, distance • Ignore “traffic jams” and their resulting delays • Guided (won’t do) • AGVs, intersections, etc. Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

11. Problem 7.8 with Transporters • Have four carts to transport parts • A cart can carry one part at a time • Carts move at 50 feet/minute • Will need to specify accurate distances between Stations • It takes 0.25 minute to load part on a cart, 0.25 minute to unload it from a cart • Modify problem 7.8 to include carts. Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

12. Problem 7.8 with Transporters (cont’d.) • Create Transporter in Transporter data module (Advanced transfer panel) • Name = Cart, Capacity = 4, Velocity = 50 • Default the Distance Set (later), Units = Per Minute, Initial Positions • Mind the units – consistency here, in Distance Set (later) • Animation picture for Cart Transporter (similar to creating animations of resources) • Transporter button , Animate Transfer toolbar • Identifier = Cart, pictures for Idle, Busy, Inactive states • Draw or copy from .plb picture libraries • Ride point (details in book) • Drop it anywhere in flowchart view (hidden during run) Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

13. Problem 7.8 with Transporters (cont.) Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

14. Problem 7.8 with Transporters (cont’d.) • Request a Cart – modify existing Leave modules • Delay = 0.25 Minute for load time • Transfer Out = Request Transporter • Transporter Name = Cart • Selection Rule = Smallest Distance • Applies when > 1 transporter is available • Others: Cyclic, Random, Preferred Order, Largest Distance (???) • Save Attribute = Cart # (remember which cart … for later) • Connect Type = Transport • Move Time disappears … determined by Velocity, Distances (later) • Station Type = Sequence • Instead of Leave: Request-Delay-Transport • More complex, more flexible – book has details, examples Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

15. Problem 7.8 with Transporters (cont’d.) Change all Leave modules. Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

16. Problem 7.8 with Transporters (cont’d.) • Free the Cart – modify existing Enter modules • Delay = 0.25 Minute for unload time • Transfer In = Free Transporter • Transporter Name = Cart • Unit Number = Cart # attribute of part entity • Instead of Enter: Station-Delay-Free • More complex, more flexible – book has details, examples Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

17. Problem 7.8 with Transporters (cont’d.) Change all Enter modules. Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

18. Distances for Transporters • Define contents of Distance Set Cart.Distance • Distances (in feet) moved by parts: • Blank cells: part movements that don’t occur • Enter these data in Distance data module (Advanced Transfer panel) • Name = Cart.Distance • Stations button, add rows with Beginning Station, Ending Station, Distance for above data • Direction is implied; could be asymmetric Units!! Units!! Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

19. Transporter Distances (cont.) Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

20. Animating Transporter Movement • Add distances to animation • Delete all the old Route Path animation objects • But leave the Station animations • Add animated transporter distances with Distance button , Animate Transfer toolbar • Dialog, placement similar to Route Paths • Identifier = Cart.Distance • Click in Beginning Station marker, intermediate clicks, Ending Station marker • Options for Rotate, Flip • Grid, Snap to help place animated transporter distances Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

21. Parking Areas for Transporters • Animate transporters when they’re free • Parking button , Animate Transfer toolbar • Like a Queue animation – Point vs. Line, Shift, Rotate • Cursor becomes cross hairs, click near lower left of Station marker to start, click for first Point or head of Line • More clicks for more Points (double-click to end), or second click to end Line • Want enough points/space for all transporters (2 here) • Repeat for all Stations where Transporters could be freed Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

22. More Distances — Empty Transporters • Above Distances incomplete — only for part movements along their sequences • Transporters must also move when empty (deadheading) • In general, n(n - 1) distances need definition for network with n nodes • Some not possible — Order Release to Exit System • 14 more distances to define in Distances data module (not grayed): • Previous slide with picture of distance spreadsheet shows all 30 distances. Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

23. Conveyors • Replace Transporters with a conveyor • Loop conveyor to follow main path, clockwise • Six entrance/exit points • Load, Unload takes 0.25 minute • Each part is 1 foot per side, but want 2 feet of conveyor space for clearance on corners • Speed = 30 feet/minute • Distances: Assume all to be 100 feet. • For Problem 7.8, we need to change sequences slightly in order to use conveyors because they only move in one direction. Units!! Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

24. Problem 7.8 Sequence Changes to prepare for Conveyor Modeling Part 1 Sequence Steps Part 2 Sequence Steps Part 3 Sequence Steps Note: Only need to change station names at each step. (No need to change assignments at each step.) Part 4 Sequence Steps Part 5 Sequence Steps Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

25. Conveyor Concepts • Entity to be conveyed must wait for space • Conveyor consists of cells • Equal size, constantly moving – think of a narrow escalator • Entities might require multiple contiguous cells • Must define cell size; tradeoff involved: • Small cells: accurate model but slow execution • Large cells: just the opposite! • Entities Access space, Convey, and Exit • Conveyor = series of linear Segments • Each segment starts and ends at a Station • Link to form loops, diverge points, converge points Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

26. Types of Conveyors • Both travel in a single, irreversible direction • Nonaccumulating: belt, bucket line, escalator • Spacing between entities on it doesn’t change • Entire conveyor stops for entity Access/Exit if Load/Unload time is > 0 • Accumulating: rollers, freeway • Conveyor never stops moving • If entity on it stops to Exit, other entities behind it are blocked and bunch up (entities ahead of it keep moving) • When blockage ends, blocked entities go on but maybe not all at once (spacing requirements) Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

27. Problem 7.8 modeling with Conveyors • Modify 7.8 (with sequences modified as shown in slide 24) • Delete all the Transport Paths and Distances. • Define Conveyor via Conveyor data module, Advanced Transfer panel • Conveyer = Loop Conveyor • Segment Name = Loop Conveyor.Segment • Type = Non-Accumulating • Velocity = 30 (feet), Units = Per Minute • Cell Size = 2 (feet) • Max Cells Occupied = 1 (cell per entity) Units!! Units!! Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

28. Problem 7.8 modeling with Conveyors (cont.) Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

29. Problem 7.8 modeling with Conveyors (cont.) • Change each Leave module • Delay =0.25, Units = Minutes • Transfer Out = Access Conveyor • Conveyor Name = Loop Conveyor • # of Cells = 1 • Connect Type = Convey • Change each Enter module • Delay = 0.25, Units = Minutes • Transfer In = Exit Conveyor • Conveyor Name = Loop Conveyor Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

30. Problem 7.8 modeling with Conveyors (cont.) Modify all Leave modules similarly. 1 Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

31. Problem 7.8 modeling with Conveyors (cont.) Modify all Enter modules similarly. Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

32. Conveyor Segments • Define one-way lengths (in feet) of segments • Segment data module, Advanced Transfer panel • Name = Loop Conveyor.Segment • Beginning Station = Arrival Station • Next Stations button • Name Next Station in correct sequence • Give distance (in feet) to this next station • Segment animation • Put Station markers in front of each Resource picture • Segment button , Animate Transfer toolbar • Dialog, crosshairs, clicking just like Distances for Transporters • Except here, have to place only 5 Segment animations Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

33. Problem 7.8 Conveyor Segments Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer

34. Conveyor Statistics • Run > Setup > Project Parameters to check Conveyor Statistics • Get percent of time blocked (stopped) • Utilization statistic is average percent of space occupied on conveyor (not percent of time that a part was on the conveyor) • To see conveyor stop (it’s nonaccumulating) more clearly, change Load Time and Unload Time to much greater values than 0.25 Chapter 8 – Entity Transfer